Sea-level rise bill becomes law

By Patrick GannonPatrick.Gannon@StarNewsOnline.com

Wednesday

Aug 1, 2012 at 4:49 PM

Gov. Perdue declines to sign bill, wants issue reconsidered

RALEIGH – Gov. Beverly Perdue on Wednesday declined to sign or veto a controversial bill on sea-level rise, allowing it to become law.Instead, the Democratic governor urged the Republican-dominated legislature to reconsider its stand on the issue. "North Carolina should not ignore science when making public policy decisions," Perdue said in a statement. "House Bill 819 will become law because it allows local governments to use their own scientific studies to define rates of sea level change. I urge the General Assembly to revisit this issue and develop an approach that gives state agencies the flexibility to take appropriate action in response to sea-level change within the next four years."State Sen. David Rouzer, R-Johnston, one of the bill's main supporters in the Senate, said he was pleased Perdue allowed the bill to become law. But he argued that House Bill 819 doesn't ignore science, but rather requires that the state look at all available studies and data on the issue when it develops policies regarding sea-rise."I would encourage her and those who feel that it is ignoring science to actually read the language of the bill," said Rouzer, who is challenging U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre, D-Lumberton, in the 7th Congressional District.Last month, at the close of this year's state legislative session, lawmakers approved a watered-down version of an earlier, more controversial proposal regarding sea rise.The legislation prevents the state from defining rates of sea-level change for regulatory purposes before July 1, 2016. Meanwhile, the Science Panel of the Coastal Resources Commission will update a March 2010 report that recommended the state plan for as much as 39 inches of sea rise by 2100.The new report, according to the bill, should review and summarize peer-reviewed scientific literature that addresses sea-level change data and hypotheses, including "sea-level fall, no movement in sea level, deceleration of sea-level rise, and acceleration of sea-level rise." Among other provisions, the compromise legislation also would require the CRC to study the economic and environmental costs and benefits to the coast of possible sea-level regulations and policies. The bill passed the Senate 40-1. It passed the House 68-46.An early version of the proposal would have prohibited the state from using projections of accelerated sea rise – which many scientists believe is coming because of global warming and the melting of polar ice caps – when forming coastal development policies and rules. Instead, under the earlier proposal, the state could have determined sea-level rise rates using historical data alone, which would have allowed the state only to plan for about 8 inches of rise this century.Proponents of the legislation – mainly NC-20, a nonprofit economic development group at the coast – argued that planning for a steep rise – which it argued is unlikely – could put large areas near the coast in flood zones and lessen property values, increase insurance rates, hurt economic development and increase construction costs.Opponents, including environmental groups, countered that not planning for sea-level-rise could cause even greater economic consequences if the seas rise as quickly as some scientists believe.The earlier version of the measure was ridiculed by comedian Stephen Colbert on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report. He joked that N.C. Republicans have come up with a "brilliant solution" to the difficulties that could arise from the science panel's projections."If your science gives you a result that you don't like, pass a law saying the science is illegal," Colbert said. "Problem solved."Environmental advocates, who had pressured Perdue to veto the sea-rise bill, reacted with dismay to Perdue's decision not to veto it. Also Wednesday, Perdue signed two other bills that environmental groups opposed. One bill delays implementation of pollution controls on new developments near Jordan Lake, while the other weakens buffer rules in the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River basins, among other provisions."All three measures primarily benefit developers at the expense of North Carolina's taxpayers, who will end up paying more in the long run to deal with the increased costs of failing to address sea level rise, as well as water pollution caused by poorly planned development," said Molly Diggins, state director for the N.C. chapter of the Sierra Club, in a prepared statement.

Patrick Gannon: (919) 854-6115On Twitter: @StarNewsPat

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